An acute bout of swimming increases post-exercise energy intake in young healthy men and women
Open accessAbstract
Single bouts of land-based exercise (for example, walking, running, cycling) do not typically alter post-exercise energy intake on the day of exercise. However, anecdotal and preliminary empirical evidence suggests that swimming may increase appetite and energy intake. This study compared the acute effects of swimming on appetite, energy intake, and food preference and reward, versus exertion-matched cycling and a resting control. Thirty-two men (n = 17; mean ± SD age 24 ± 2 years, body mass index [BMI] 25.0 ± 2.6 kg/m 2 ) and women (n = 15; age 22 ± 3 years, BMI 22.8 ± 2.3 kg/m 2 ) completed three experimental trials (swimming, cycling, control) in a randomised, crossover design. The exercise trials involved 60-min of 'hard' exercise (self-selected rating of perceived exertion: 15) performed 90-min after a standardised breakfast. Food preference and reward were assessed via the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire 15-min after exercise, whilst ad libitum energy intake was determined 30-min after exercise. The control trial involved identical procedures except no exercise was performed. Compared with control (3259 ± 1265 kJ), swimming increased ad libitum energy intake (3857 ± 1611 kJ; ES = 0.47, 95% CI of the mean difference between trials 185, 1010 kJ, P = 0.005); the magnitude of increase was smaller after cycling (3652 ± 1619 kJ; ES = 0.31, 95% CI -21, 805 kJ, P = 0.062). Ad libitum energy intake was similar between swimming and cycling (ES = 0.16, 95% CI -207, 618 kJ, P =…
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Thackray et al. (2020) demonstrated that ad-libitum energy intake was similar after a 42-min bout of swimming versus land-based cycling.
“Although Thackray et al. (2020) demonstrated that ad-libitum energy intake was similar after a 42-min bout of swimming versus land-based cycling, hunger was rated higher after swimming versus cycling.”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al., 2020
Sensitivity analysis removing Thackray et al. (2020) did not alter heterogeneity (I2 = 56%), and therefore the data is included.
“Sensitivity analysis showed that removing the one study with slight concerns relating to the measurement of energy expenditure (Thackray et al., 2020), did not alter heterogeneity (I 2 = 56%), and therefore the data is included.”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al., 2020
The study by Thackray et al. (2020) applied different methods of measuring energy expenditure which could have affected the outcome.
“The study by Thackray et al. (2020) applied different methods of measuring energy expenditure which could have affected the outcome.”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al. (2020)
Thackray et al. (2020) demonstrated that hunger was rated higher after swimming versus cycling.
“Although Thackray et al. (2020) demonstrated that ad-libitum energy intake was similar after a 42-min bout of swimming versus land-based cycling, hunger was rated higher after swimming versus cycling.”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al., 2020
Five included studies measured ratings of hunger in response to water-based exercise versus control.
“Five of the included studies measured ratings of hunger in response to water-based exercise versus control (King et al., 2011;Metz et al., 2021aMetz et al., , 2021bMetz et al., , 2021c;;Thackray et al., 2020).”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al., 2020
Participants rated themselves hungrier in the hours after swimming versus control in studies by King et al. (2011) and Thackray et al. (2020).
“However, participants rated themselves hungrier in the hours after swimming versus control in studies by King et al. (2011) and Thackray et al. (2020)”
From Influence of water-based exercise on energy intake, appetite, and appetite-related hormones in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Thackray et al. (2020)
Cites
Acute exercise and subsequent energy intake. A meta-analysis
Schubert, M. M., Desbrow, B., Sabapathy, S., & Leveritt, M. (2013) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.12.010 · Cited by 240 · see citing works
Exercise, Appetite and Appetite-Regulating Hormones: Implications for Food Intake and Weight Control
Stensel, D. (2010) · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · doi:10.1159/000322702 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
Self-citationEffect of moderate - and high-intensity acute exercise on appetite in obese individuals
MARTINS, C., STENSVOLD, D., FINLAYSON, G., HOLST, J., WISLOFF, U., KULSENG, B., MORGAN, L., & KING, N. A. (2015) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000000372 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Self-citationRocha, J., Paxman, J., Dalton, C., Winter, E., & Broom, D. (2013) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.009 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
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Grigg, M. J., Thake, C. D., Allgrove, J. E., King, J. A., Thackray, A. E., Stensel, D. J., Owen, A., & Broom, D. R. (2023) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2022.106375 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationMetz, L., Isacco, L., Fearnbach, N., Pereira, B., Thivel, D., & Duclos, M. (2021) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu13041051 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Grigg, M. J., Thake, C. D., Allgrove, J. E., & Broom, D. R. (2025) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114914 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Thackray, A. E., Willis, S. A., Sherry, A. P., Clayton, D. J., Broom, D. R., Demashkieh, M., Sargeant, J. A., James, L. J., Finlayson, G., Stensel, D. J., & King, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- Nottingham Trent University (GB)
- Coventry University (GB)
- Nanyang Technological University (SG)
- University of Leicester (GB)
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Corresponding author
- King, James A.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Appetite
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-11
- Volume
- 154
- Pages
- 104785
- ISSN
- 0195-6663 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3035896849
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4
- FWCI
- 1.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Appetite (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (acceptedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Pure (Coventry University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health Research
- NIHR
- Biomedical Research Centre
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- swimming, food preferences, food reward, cycling, water immersion, water temperature, sex differences, ad libitum energy intake
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Appetite, Energy Intake, Energy Metabolism, Female, Humans, Male, Swimming, Cross-Over Studies, Young Adult, Breakfast
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